David Weiss on the fine — and finer — things in life

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As all of our intercontinental (thanks, George W.) friends know, La Bistecca means steak in Italian, and the Biltmore Millennium has dibs on the name for their splendid beef-themed eatery in the dramatic Rendezvous Court downtown next to Pershing Square. Helmed by a pair of talented Italian chefs, both the setting and the menu scream elegance and rustic simplicity at the same time. Vaulted ceilings with copious and ornate chandeliers compete with the unfussy cuisine, adding up to an all-around aesthetic experience for the eye and palate.

The affable and articulate executive sous-chef, Orazio Parisi, explained that the menu owed its inspiration to Southern Italian and Sicilian roots, well exemplified by the luscious eggplant parmigiana that started the meal, as well as a toothsome selection of handcrafted salumi. Making it even harder to choose an appetizer, the Tagliolini with a lobster ragu “all’Amatriciana” was rich and delicately spiced, the lobster’s sweetness nicely offset by tiny bites of salty guanciale (and I thought I was the only Wild Bore in the joint).

The steaks were nonpareil, cooked perfectly and with the right balance of firmness and fat (the 16-oz. ribeye was especially tasty). For the non-purists among you, the kitchen prepares a variety of condiments for the meat, including a divine Mascarpone-Horseradish Cream sauce. And the truffle parmesan fries are as sinfully delicious as they sound.

Confirmed Valleyites take note: a painless 20-minute subway ride from Universal City deposits you right at Pershing Square, a mere 60-second walk to the Biltmore, which is stuck in time in the most remarkable and admirable way. Nowhere else in Los Angeles has age been so kind to an historic structure, and rooms are both reasonable and as classic-looking and refined as they looked when the place went up in 1923. Some good things get even better by resisting the impulse to modernize. Make it a weekend — steaks, symphony and sweet escape all in one.

Some of the stodgier spots in Santa Barbara make you feel like an intruder if you’re wearing the wrong shoes, sport facial hair (ahem) or speak louder than a whisper. No need to name names. Contrarily, the Hotel Oceana, just across Cabrillo Blvd. from the Pacific Pond, has that Cheers-like familiarity to it, the staff greeting you like you were a long-lost millionaire uncle. Tea, coffee and fresh fruit next to a roaring lobby fire complete the picture. And the continental breakfast even has an omelette station on weekends — nice touch, that.

But it’s when you get to your room that you truly feel like you might be at home –or at least in somebody’s very tastefully appointed digs! Hardwood floors, colorful rugs and whimsical pastel accents invite you in, the big thread-count Egyptian sheets finish the weary traveler off in style. A recent renovation means everything is newly minted, from the flatscreen tv’s to the two cabana-lined pools. Spa services are delivered to your room, everything from Reiki to Reflexology, haircuts to Hatha Yoga. This is Santa Barbara, after all.

There are always some quite reasonable packages available, including an upcoming Valentine’s Day special for you and your significant otra. The Oceana also works with Cloud Climbers Jeep Tours to whisk you away for a day-long tour of the surrounding wine country. They drive, you drink — works for me. I highly recommend this happy hideaway — dock your iPod, swing open the sliding door and breathe that seaside air and take in the capacious view. Beaucoup Euro-tourists swear by this spot, always a good sign. Willkommen!

Who is David Weiss?

A Detroit native, David Weiss fled Motown for Los Angeles in 1978 and began to write for Daily Variety and the Los Angeles Herald Examiner, primarily as a music critic with a focus on jazz.

His own music career started soon thereafter, with the surrealistic funk band Was (Not Was), then various gigs as a composer and producer, working with Bob Dylan and Rickie Lee Jones among others.

In a parallel universe, Weiss has been filing golf and travel stories for T&L Golf, Golfweek and The New York Times and is a regular contributor to NPR's "All Things Considered" program, doing stories on music and all things cultural.